2021: Persist

 As 2020 comes to a close, like many, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on everything that made up my year. There were a lot of changes, a lot of trials, and a lot of good things that made 2020 the Year of Courage. I had to grow up a lot, which honestly, was kind of scary. But, I made it, and am thankful for all that happened. 

I started out by moving to Utah for my internship working with immigrants and refugees, and started my final semester at BYU-Idaho. I came out as bisexual, moved into my own apartment, graduated college, worked 2 jobs, got a cat, and battled depression. I started therapy again, began new medication, restarted my gym membership, and towards the end of the year, felt hopeful about what the future held again. Despite the challenges we still face with COVID-19, I feel a sense of peace I haven’t felt in so long. For a while I struggled to find any joy and an sense of hope that life would get better, that I should keep going. I’m thankful for my parents, my therapist, my psychiatrist, and just as important, my cat, who all saved me during a very turbulent year. I have been able to grow so much. I’ve spoken up and out about things that are important to me, and found courage to be vulnerable on a whole new level. I’ve been practicing that a lot, and hope to carry that with me into the next year, because in 2021, I want to continue to build upon the things I learned throughout 2020, and persist. 

I’ll be (fingers crossed) going back to grad school and moving back east (FINALLY) this year, and that’s pretty much all I have planned. I’m excited for whatever comes; I think it’ll be good. There’s so much to do, so much to change, and I’m ready to be a part of all of it. 

Happy New Year and let’s kill it in 2021.

—Maggie